


Freedom. Beauty. Truth. Love

by CasualWinchester



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arranged Marriage, Boys In Love, Evil Twins, Evil Valentine, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Family Feels, Kidnapping, M/M, Meet-Cute, Pregnancy, Protective Big Brother, Romance, Semi-Public Sex, War, Weddings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2018-06-07
Packaged: 2018-10-18 19:58:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10624086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CasualWinchester/pseuds/CasualWinchester
Summary: With the war against the house of Morgenstern looming ever closer, the house of Lightwood decide to contact their closest alies, the house of Herondale. The Herondale's  are more than happy to help in the war, only if they can arrange a marriage with one of their own and the Lightwood king to be.





	1. Prologue

**Prologue:**

  
Starts with King Valentine and his wife, Queen Jocelyn. Their two 10 year old sons were two very different people, Sebastian is too like his father, it worries the Queen as she knows what a king Valentine could be, being young when they originally married, it took Jocelyn much longer to see what kind of man he was. By the time she did, it was too late to save Sebastian from Valentines poisonous ideas.

Lucky she could keep her second son Jonathan and her five year old daughter safe from his ways.

Well that's what she thinks.

Late one night Valentine has enough of Jocelyn trying to corrupt him and his plans for Sebastian. As evil as he may seem, he loves his children. But he knows that his plans will be spoiled if they are allowed to continue to live the life of comfort they have with him.

He hires a man by the name of Hodge to take Prince Jonathan and Princess Clarissa away in the middle of the night then divorces Queen Jocelyn which allows her to travel to the land of Herondale. She meets with her first love Duke Lucian Graymark, she hopes as Herondale is the closest land to Morgenstern, that her children will be there.

They search for years, but the see nor hear from the children.

Unknown to them Hodge travelled to the land of Lightwood. He left them outside of what is supposed to be an Orphanage. Little does he know, the orphanage was remodelled to be a summer house for the royal family for their children to get free time outside of the castle.

The Queen found them the next day, sleeping on the doorstep of the building. She reports it to her husband, who at first wants to send them to an Orphanage but changes his mind once he sees how taken his wife is with the two confused and lost children.

King Robert and Queen Jocelyn decided to adopt Clary and Jonathan. They added their two new children to their family.

They introduced Princess Clary Lightwood and Prince Jonathan Lightwood to their land along with Heir to the throne Prince Alexander and his siblings Prince Maxwell and Princess Isabelle.

They are welcomed into this new land. Their memories of their old life a hidden secret.

All was well until the day of Prince Alexanders 22nd birthday.

Also the day of his sisters wedding announcement. To Lord Meliorn of Morgenstern, a fact that Prince Alexander did not like. He doesn't trust Meliorn and it'sa fact he makes known to his family. King Robert has enough and decide to give the Prince full responsibility over his sisters marriage, to whoever that may be.

Alexander decides that Meliorn is not the one for his sister.

He however, he didn't think that it would cause war tensions between The Morgensterns and The Lightwoods and now it's up to him to end it before it begins.

Thankfully his friend Jordan sends word that King Stephen Herondale is willing to negotiate a treaty. This treaty however may take away the right to give away his Sister's freedom. His only way to make sure his sister has the choice to chose her own husband is if he has the final say.

But he was not going to risk his land for that.

He signs the treaty that states that one Royal Lightwood was to marry one member of the Herondale party.

He didn't have any mind to think that it could be him, that was just something that seems to unimportant to him.

Until the arrival of the Herondale party.


	2. Chapter One

The sound of heels angrily clacking their way up the long, cold and slightly damp hallways of the Lightwood castle, could be heard before the furious Princess Isabelle Lightwood shoved past the guards and slammed into the grand office and library of Prince Alexander Lightwood, her older brother and Heir to the Lightwood throne.

"Alexander Gideon Lightwood. Have you lost your mind!"The doors have barely closed behind her before she is shouting out her frustrations, arms waving as she stomps her way over to the desk her brother was currently sitting at, barely sparing any mind of Duke Victor Aldertre who was currently sitting next to Prince Alexander. They were currently going over some sort of important documentation, but the Princess did not care at this time.

The prince hardly even looked up at her, already knowing what had her so mad and had already prepared himself for this very moment. "Isabelle, either take a seat and wait or go back to your room and wait for me there." The prince finally spared his sister a look. "I'm busy with the same reason as to why you are hear right now, storming around like a five year old." It was clearly the wrong thing to say.

Isabelle slammed her hands down onto top of the desk. "How dare you try to blow this off! I have the right to be angry and you should be putting me first out of all of this. It should be my choice after all, this all follows me as I was the one who was supposed to be wed." Isabelle glares at Duke Aldertree, " I need some time alone with my brother." She states without leaving room for argument.

The Duke glances once at the prince, eyebrow raised in a silent question; if he was to follow the Princess's orders or not. The Prince nods once in confirmation. Aldertree stands, taking the scroll of documents with him.

"Your Highness's." He bows his head in respect at the siblings then makes a quick and swift exit before the Princess could turn her anger on him. Probably a smart move judging by the anger currently radiating off of her. As soon as the door closes behind him, Isabelle is free to say everything that is on hes mind.

"Care to tell my why you are risking War just to spare me from marrying Meliorn? I know you are protective over Clary and I for we are your sisters, but don't you think this is a little far?" Isabelle sits in the large leather chair across from her brother.

The prince folds his hands over the edge of his chair, stretching his neck and settling a beat down glance at his sister. "Isabelle, I cannot watch you marry a man who is known to already belong to another. You know his heart belongs to the cold lifeless one of Camille Belcourt." Princess Isabelle allows her anger to falter only for a moment, allowing a smile to grace her face at her brothers words.

"Alec, that may be true... but that means nothing when it comes to the life of all those who will die if we go to war." Isabelle pleads for her brother to understand that. Her eyes were wide and fearful, as if knowing that if they do go to war it will be on her head.

"Do you not think I know that? I haven't slept in days, Isabelle. I need to stop this war but I'm not going to prevent it by sending you off to some man who doesn't love you." Alec runs a hand over his face and it is then that Isabelle sees just how worn down her brother has become over this. "I cannot allow you to be wed to that man, but I have to avoid war at all costs, so I made arrangements that could stop the war but..." The prince doesn't continue.

Princess Isabelle sits up straight in her chair, smoothing down the folds of her dress as she does so. By the look on her brothers face she knows that this won't be good news. "Tell me, Alec... I can handle it." She leans forward in her chair, preparing herself.

Alec sighs heavily and stares sadly at his sister. "They agreed to aid us in this war, but only if someone from the royal family marries from their family or close contacts." He looks sad. "It will either have to be You or I, there's no way to know for sure if they will accept Clary or Jonathan when they find out they're not of real royal blood." Isabelle frowns.

"Who are we to wed, do they know about-" The Prince holds up a hand to stop his sister from continuing.  
  
"They do not. And dispite what our parents, and undoubtedly you, think. I will not be telling them unless it's completely necessary." He settles further into his chair, waiting for her to lecture him just as their mother had before her.

"Necessary?... Alec, it's completely necessary for you to tell them. This is your happiness we are talking about here, it's not something you can just forget about." Isabelle doesn't sound or look angry, she seems more sad than anything else. "I won't have you do that to yourself just for my sake." She shakes her head slowly, her shoulders slumping ut of their usual perfect posture, as if the weight ofthe situation had been removed from the shoulders of her brother, only to be placed on her instead. "I won't allow it, I won't allow you to do it. Neither will Clary nor Jonathan, you know this will break their hearts."

Alec knew that Isabelle was right about that. This would break the hearts of his two other siblings, Jonathan especially. He was as bad as Alec himself when it came to looking outfor his siblings, even though Jonathan was only older than him by a year. After loosing everything in his old life, bar Clary, he was very protective over the people who he cared about. It was one of the many reasons Alec put off telling him about the War and the proposal of marriage, although he does regret not telling him before now. The fact that he didn't know about this prior to the impending arrival ofthe Herondales, is just going to make this all the harder to try and explain.

"I know that, Isabelle." Alec sighs once again. "Look, I am willing to marry whoever the Herondale's see fit... no matter whay gender they may be. The lives of our people are too important for me to start being picky." The prince holds his breath, waiting for the words he knows will leave his sisters mouth.

"Again. You are seriously doing this again? After everything that happened last time." Her voice is like tiny shards of ice digging into his head. "You are going put us all through that again. Are you going to do that to yourself?" Isabelle's face shows no emotion and it's a little unnerving.

"It's not like last time-"

"Of course it's just like last time, how could you even think it wasn't? In fact it's even worse than last time because you know that you are gay, as does the rest of the Kingdom! It's also incredibly selfish for you to do it when you know what Lydia sacrificed to allow you to be happy. Don't mock her by marrying yourself to someone who you do not love, not after what she did for you, to allow you the chance of love" Isabelle is starting to sound angry again.

Alec does not respond to her words. His head hangs heavy with the weight of her words. She was right, but he couldn't allow himself to find his own love, if it means that his sister will be left in a marriage with someone who does not deserve her. He wouldn't be able to live with himself, not when he knew he had a way to stop that from happening.

The prince finally looks back up at his sister. "You and Clary need to report to the dressmakers," the prince stands from his chair. "The Herondale's will arrive within the next two to three days, so I need you both to look your best for our guests." Isabelle glares at her brother, Alec matches her glare with a steadylook of his own, refusing to back down and also refusing to discuss the situation any longer.

Isabelle seemes to pick upon that because moments later she is standing from her chair and fixing her slightly rumpled dress. "Fine. Be that way, it's your life and your happiness, but don't expect to get a say in my love life when you don't have the guts to return the favour." And with that, Isabelle Lightwood flicks her dress out behind her and storms back out of the room, in search for her sister.

The prince is left behind with a heavy head and heart, the sense of dread filling him up on the inside and almost bursting free. He tames it though because that's not the behaviour the future king should have.

So with the argument that he just had, being pushed to the back of his mind, the prince calls for the return of Duke Aldertree.

He is so ready to put all of this War drama behind him, even if that means he has to mess up his life and the lives of the people he cares about. Surely the sacrifice is worth it when it comes down to saving hundreds of lives.

His people should come first and he knows that.

But some part of him wantsto know what it would be like, to find a man who loved him, who he could marry and start a family with. He knew it would never happen, but in bad times like these came around, he couldn't help but to daydream of what that life could be like.

His train of thought was cut off by the arrival of the Duke, poking his head in through the door.

The prince shakes his head to clear the thoughts from his mind.

And for now, that was that.


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two:  
  
With one last harsh and unexpected yank, young Princess Clarissa had been fitted into her first corset of the day. She was currently sporting one of her new dresses. She was fitted to perfection in the dress by one of her ladies in waiting. Clarissa had always found the process of getting into her corset to be a painful one. Hers were always made just that little bit tighter due to her smaller form. Especially on days like this when she had to present herself and her family as best as she could.  
  
A gasp could be heard from the left-hand side of Clarissa, as Princess Isabelle had joined her to get ready this morning. She, like Clarissa, had just been finished being fitted into her corset. Clarissa couldn't help but feel jealous of her sister as she had always looked better in a corset.  
  
"These blasted things again, some days I wish to throw these into the nearest lake or fire," Isabelle growls before motioning with her hand, dismissing her ladies to fetch the dresses. Clarissa's ladies move to the large vanities, where two plush and padded stools wait for the two Princess'. Both vanities were loaded with all different types of jewelry and hair accessories. A red velvet pillow sits on each vanity, both of them has a jeweled tiara rested on top of them, a gift from their father. Each tiara made of silver and decorated with jeweled flowers. Each tiara holding a different form of a flower, one to best represent each princess.  
  
For princess Clarissa, a pattern of sunflowers made from the rarest form of topaz and diamonds the king could find. And for their beloved Isabelle, it was only appropriate to assign her the deepest of red roses, made from ruby and garnet.  
  
Each tiara was a gift, given to them on the eve of their eighteenth birthday. It was a grand celebration for the whole kingdom as it marked the day the girls became women and joined the council alongside their brothers.  
  
Isabelle had already had hers for several months, but for Clarissa, it was only something she had owned for a month. Up until then, she sat with her younger brother Max, on the sidelines of any declaration or event. Only the headband of gold and silver that featured her family's crest, showed that she was in fact of Royal status.  
  
"Are you nervous my dear?" Clarissa's lady in waiting, Dorothea, asked as she smoothed away Clarissa's flaming red hair away from her face.  
  
Clarissa wanted to deny that she could feel butterflies in her stomach, underneath the tight containment of her corset. Alas, her lie would fall flat when it comes to Dorothea as the woman had known her since she was a mere five-year-old. "I'm afraid so, Dot." Clarissa sighs before looking at her sister to see that Isabelle was looking back at her. "I worry for my sister and for our land. I do not know what I would do if we were to go to war." Clarissa admits tears building in her large brown eyes.  
  
"Sister," Isabelle rushes to stand by Clarissa, holding tightly onto her hands. "We won't go to war. You mustn't believe that. You need to believe in our brother." Clarissa nods her head once before looking down at the floor.  
  
"I also worry for him. He is so unhappy, so much in fact that I believe it might make him sick." A tear rolls down the young princesses' cheek. Dot is quick to wipe it away.  
  
"Do not think that way, he will be happy but the only way for him to do that is for him to keep us all safe first. You know what he and Jonathan are like." Isabelle tries to make Clarissa smile.  
  
"The would throw them into any danger for us." Clarissa smiles only slightly. "Only the danger this time is only a man who prefers to lie with other men, being forced to bed a woman. The only dangerous thing about that is what's going to happen when Lydia finds out. She is the only one who could smack the future king upside the head and still leave with her own." Clarissa finishes just as the ladies return with the dresses.  
  
She moves away from Isabelle so they both have room to dress.  
  
Princess Clarissa eyed her dress with a loving look in her eyes. It was very her, modest but still showed her off to potential suitors. It was high up on her neck but was attached to thick straps that caused the back of the dress to hang loosely. there was a chain of diamonds that connected to each strap and draped down her back. The skirt lay freely in rows of netted material that moved gently with the slightest of breeze, which made the green flowers decorating the bottom of the dress, seem more realistic.  
  
"The seamstress had outdone herself again." Dot comments as she helps Clarissa into her dress. "Considering the amount of time she had to make four dresses for you and Princess Isabelle. Another one of Clarissa's ladies helped artfully display the diamonds across her back.  
  
"Yes, it's quite beautiful," Clarissa says in awe as she runs her fingers gracefully across the fabric. "I must request to reward her for this." She looks back up at her sister to see she had also been fitted into her dress.  
  
It was a dress made of the color Garnet. It was strapless and showed off all of Isabelle's natural curves. It was tight fitting until just under the ribs then it came out to make a large skirt made of delicate red lace designed in flowers, it also ruffled out in certain places.  
  
"Isabelle, you look exquisite," Clarissa said softly to her sister before she was being forced to sit next to her vanity table. Once there her lady that was designated to do her hair, came up and started running a brush through her long fiery locks, they were now reaching her lower back. It was beginning to become a hardship on her so she usually requested that it be put up in a loose knot at the back of her head, which is exactly what she was getting now.  
  
"You don't look too bad yourself," Isabelle says airily as she takes a seat on the stool next to Clarissa. Her hair was much simpler to do than Clarissa's. As she prided herself on her long and thick raven locks, she simply requested that two simple braids should be made from a small amount of hair at the front of her face, it also marked out where her Tiara would sit.  
  
"Marriage material?" Clarissa asks.  
  
"I should think so." Isabelle nods before tilting her face up, allowing another one of her ladies to use a small brush to apply the juice of several berries to her lips, making the plump lips turn a shade of red that matched her dress. "Mmm, it's no wonder I have a great taste for berries at these events." Isabelle puts her lips dry with one finger then wiping it on a cloth in front of her.  
  
"Yes, I also find that I have a taste for strawberries at these events." Clarissa agrees before she herself offers her lips to be dyed. Another one of the ladies then proceeded to delicately powder her already fair skin, to hide her freckles and other blemishes. This custom was much hated by her elder brother Prince Jonathan, who saw her freckles and rosy cheeks to be beautiful as it was something he inherited from her mother and homelands.  
  
He never argued this point though, as no one was supposed to know where he and Princess Clarissa were really from. To this land, they were just the Prince and Princess orphans. They couldn't know, not until the right time.  
  
So until that time came, Clarissa had to hide her true beauty behind a layer of white powder.  
  
"They are really pulling out all the stops for this visit." Isabelle comments as a dusting of rose powder were applied to her cheeks to make them glow in the light, an act then-then moved on to apply to the second princess after the white powder settled on her skin.  
  
 "They hope to marry us off. Of course, they would pull the stops out." Clarissa comments. She then leans her head to the side as earrings are attached to her ears. "Well, they hope to wed you and Alec off. Jonathan and I have to fair on our own." Clarissa winces as the second earring is placed rather harshly into her ear.  
  
Dot notices this and slaps the hand of the lady putting in the earring. "Watch what you are doing girl, do you wish to make the princess bleed?" Dot admonishes her before coming over to check Clarissa's ear.  
  
"Do not worry, it merely stung for a moment," Clarissa says to Dot before settling back to talk to Isabelle.  
  
Isabelle was glaring at Clarissa as she too was adorning her earrings. "You doubt yourself too much Clary. You are beautiful and you would be a fool to think that you won't catch the eye of a nobleman." She leans over to take Clarissa's hand. "They would be a fool not to want you." Clarissa smiles at her sister. She was so glad that Isabelle was brought into her life, that this was the place she ended up in all those years ago, especially when she thought she was destined to rot in an orphanage.  
  
"A girl must dream." Clarissa sighs and watched through the mirror as her tiara was placed on her head. Isabelle was receiving the same treatment beside her, her tiara nestled against her dark locks.  
  
A knock on the door drew Clarissa and Isabelle out of the moment they were having, as it reminded them that this was the time and that the Herondale clan had probably arrived.  
  
"Come in," Clarissa calls as one last jeweled pin was slid into her hair. Both Prince Jonathan and Prince Alexander walked into the room.  
  
"Johnny, Alec, you both look dashing." Isabelle coos then wave her hands to call off her ladies, deeming herself ready. She holds out a hand and Alec is quick to walk forward to help her from her seat.  
  
"Why thank you Isabelle, but please don't call me Johnny when we are around the guests," Jonathan comments before walking over to Clarissa, who was currently getting a second coat of dye on her lips. "Clary, you look beautiful." He comments then he himself dismisses her ladies and takes her hand.  
  
"You both do, but for now we must go as the Herondale's are at the gate and should be arriving any moment. It wouldn't be proper if the Princes and Princesses were not present or simply late." Alec motions for them to leave, allowing Isabelle to take his arm.   
  
"Yes, it would be. Shall we- oh perhaps it would be best if you dawned your shoes?" Jonathan suggests once he notices that Clary is at the height she stands at when not wearing heels. It's not that much difference to how short she usually is but it is something that he would notice as he is the one who walked her down to every ball.  
  
"Yes quite." Dot came over with Clarissa and Isabelle shoes, passing them to each brother to put on for their sister, to avoid creasing or damaging their dresses.  
  
After each brother had done their job, they set off for the main entrance where over half of the castle had already gathered to greet the incoming guests.  
  
The Princes led their sisters to the front of the crowd where their mother, father, and younger brother Max were already standing.  
  
"You look beautiful my dears." The king presses a kiss to both of his daughter's foreheads. "Arrived just in time too, hurry into place." He smiles at his children before nodding to his right.  
  
A quick glance behind them shows that the Herondale carriages were beginning to make their way through the gates of the castle. The children quickly take their places next to their parents. Clarissa holds still against her brother's side as her fear of seeing either their brother or father coming through that door comes to mind. She knew it wouldn't happen as her father was the king his own land and their brother Sebastian was his heir.  
  
Jonathan hugs her close as he knew exactly what she was thinking. "Don't worry none of our family will be here." He whispers as the carriages pull to a stop in front of them.  
  
Several well dressed men stride forward to open each door to the carriages, several reaching in to help the noble women out of them.  
  
It was easy to spot the king and Queen as they were known for their fair hair and skin. The Queen's complexion matched that of Clarissa's as both her kingdom and the kingdom of Herondale were closer and shared the same climate.  
  
King Robert and Queen Maryse stepped forward to greet King Stephen and his Queen, Celine.  
  
"Robert. It's nice to see you again my good man." King Stephen came forward to embrace King Robert, who eagerly embraces him back.  
  
"Same to you Stephen, it has been a long time." Robert pulls back. "I just wish it was under better circumstances." Robert looked sad but Stephen just shook his head.  
  
"Forget the war for now, Robert! Just remember, there is to be a grand wedding." The king cheers. A glance between Clarissa and Isabelle proves that they have some liking for this king as he seemed incredibly cheerful.  
  
"Ah yes, a fact that both Myself and My Queen are exited for." Robert gestures to his wife. "Stephen, I don't think you have met my wife. This is Maryse." Robert places an arm around Maryse's waist.  
  
"I haven't had the pleasure." Stephen bows slightly before reaching to take her hand, placing a kiss gently to the back of it. "It's lovely to meet you." He stands back up then looks to his own wife Lady Celine.  
  
"You remember Celine?" He asks Robert, who nods his head and returns the gesture previously given to his own wife.  
  
"Like I could forget such beauty, it is lovely to see you again Lady Celine.” Robert gestures to his wife again. “My wife.” He introduces then watches as Maryse bows to Lady Celine, just as Lady Celine bows to Maryse.

Stephen claps his hands once, then allows his eyes to scan the children behind King Robert and Maryse.

His eyes linger on the small form of Princess Clarissa, something about the girl stands out to him, yet in this moment he can’t seem to place who she was, but he was sure he knew of her.

“Ah yes.” King Robert noticed where King Stephen’s eyes had travelled. “My five children. May I introduce you?” Robert asks Stephen.

“Yes. I am much intrigued to meet them.” King Stephen answers, his eyes still on Clarissa, making the young girl squirm and slightly hide behind her brother.

Robert gestures to Alexander. “This is my oldest and heir to the throne, Alexander and next to him is my darling daughter Isabelle.” Robert then moves to Clarissa and Jonathan. “I see you are intrigued by my adopted children.” Robert comments.

“Adopted?” Stephen asks as his eyes now take in Prince Jonathan.

“Yes, my wife and I found them on our doorstep just over ten years ago. This is Prince Jonathan and his younger sister Princess Clarissa- “

“Morgenstern.” King Stephen looks astounded, as do several of his servants and his wife. Anyone who heard the name, let out a gasp of surprise.

“Excuse me?” King Robert asks, confusion laced in his voice as he looks at his children.

“You don’t know?” Stephen asks, then looks around at all the children. “Here we have Princess Clarissa Morgenstern and her second brother Jonathan Morgenstern, the true heir to the Morgenstern throne.” King Stephen looks behind him.

“And believed to be perished by their Mother, Jocelyn Fairchild.”

A fair looking woman who looked to be Clarissa’s double, only aged a little more around the edges, walks forward. Her hand clutching that of a tall man who looked vaguely familiar to the young Morgenstern siblings.

“Mother?” Jonathan asks before Jocelyn Fairchild let’s go of any graces she had and ran forward.

She embraced both of her children, for the first time in over a decade.

The happy moment overshadowing the problems this reunion has caused for the possible war.


	4. Chapter Three

 

**Chapter Three-**

There was silence throughout the courtyard as every single servant, royal, lord, lady and the simple Nobel man watched with a range of different emotions as the Lady Jocelyn Fairchild embraced her children closely.

Her face held strong as she fought to keep the tears at bay, that was the last thing her babies needed to see. They had probably been through so much when it came to their family so the last thing they needed was to see the woman who birthed them cry. She didn't even know if she had the right to be called their mother, as they were raised by Queen Maryse for longer than she had.

The fear of not getting to have this was again, was enough for Lady Jocelyn to hold on longer than she should before shakily back off to take a look at her long lost children.

The familiar warm hand of Lord Lucian pressing against her back gives her the courage to finally speak, ignoring the fact that there was a crowd of people watching the whole reunion.

"My children-" She takes a moment to swallow around the lump in her throat "-You are both so... beautiful." She hiccups a little before stepping forward to cup her daughter's face. A spark of happiness runs through Jocelyn as she is met with teary green eyes. "Clarissa- my you have grown baby." She smiles at her daughter.

"Mommy-" Princess Clarissa blubbers before throwing herself forward and hiding her face in the neck of her mother. She takes deep breaths and is met with the forest smell that always seemed to be around her mother, it was a smell she dreamed about on the harder nights. These nights usually ended with Prince Jonathan sitting by her bedside as he stroked her hair until she finally fell asleep.

Princess Clarissa had never known how her brother always seemed to know when she was having a night like this, as she was never the one to call for him. He would always turn up at her door, candle in hand and a worried look on his face. On the worse nights he would tell her the stories he knew of their mother, he was older and remembered more than she did and he took it upon himself to make sure that his little sister never forgot the woman who gave them their lives.

"My sweet child," Jocelyn rests a hand on the back of Clarissa's head just as another body pushed up against them. They were taller than both Mother and Daughter so it was easy for them to rest their head on Lady Jocelyn.

A soft whisper was enough to inform Lady Jocelyn that this was her son. "I knew we'd find you again." His words are so quiet that Jocelyn has to wonder if she was supposed to hear it.

"I love you both so much and- and I'm so sorry I didn't try harder to find you." Lady Jocelyn presses a kiss to Clarissa's head then one to Jonathan's cheek. "I'm so so sorry that you were the one's that suffered by your father." The thought of her Ex husband and all that he did to her and her children, sends a cold hate through her body.

"We didn't suffer Mommy- we had the best childhood we could've asked for in the situation we were in." Clarissa pulls back so she could look at Princess Isabelle and Prince Alexander, the surprise on their faces was almost comical and she would've giggled at them if it were any other situation.

"We owe our lives to Robert and Maryse, I would say that being raised by them was a blessing in disguise." Jonathan adds before stepping back to join his sister, "Sure we lost you, it was hard... and I tried my hardest to make sure Clarissa remembered just how much you loved her." Jocelyn whimpers slightly before reaching out for her daughter's hand.

Clarissa takes it quickly with both of her own.

"I also made sure she knew why this was good for us." Jonathan continues before walking over to Maryse. "If it weren't for the Lightwoods taking us in... then I fear we'd be dead." He stops for a moment. "I also knew that even death would be better if it saved my wretched brother and father getting their hands on my baby sister." Maryse places her hand on Jonathan's arm then smiles softly at Lady Jocelyn.

King Robert suddenly clears his throat. "Perhaps we should take the rest of this inside. Your companions must be tired and I believe it is the time we meet your children?" The King suggests to King Stephen, eyeing around the place as if he were worried about something.

The motion was enough to make both Prince Jonathan and Prince Alexander very suspicious. They both share a look and it's known then that this is not going to be forgotten and that they will come back and discuss this with each other and perhaps their father.

"Yes, I'm sorry-" Lady Jocelyn drops the hand of Clarissa before stepping back to join Lord Lucian and two other young teenagers.

Clarissa meets the eye of a boy around her age, his eyes framed by thick glasses that looked slightly too big for him. He was grinning at her as if he was more excited than anyone to see her standing there.

Princess Clarissa couldn't help but find him very familiar.

"It's no problem at all Lady Jocelyn." Queen Celine faintly touches Lady Jocelyn's cheek before smiling at her. "One would do the same under such circumstances." Jocelyn sends a thankful smile before bowing her head at the Queen.

King Stephen then decided it was his turn to bring his children forward. "Robert, I would like to introduce my daughter Princess Lola." Stephen holds out an arm and a girl, around the age of twelve, steps forward.

Son and heir to my throne, Jonathan, or as we all call him, Jace." King Stephen gestures to a boy behind him, a boy that matched ages with Prince Alexander and looked like his mother.

In that moment, Princess Clarissa swore that her throat ceased to work, leaving her a little short for breath.

The prince was beautiful. All sharp angles and fair skin that matched the fair blond hair that fell into his eyes slightly as he walked forward to bow before King Robert and Queen Maryse. He leaned down to kiss the hand of the Queen before standing back up straight and pushing his hair out of his eyes, allowing Clarissa to see the uniqueness of them.

Clarissa glanced around to see if anyone had noticed how affected she was by the boy, but the only person who seemed to notice was her sister, Isabelle.

Princess Isabelle smirked at Clarissa as the girl was as open as a book when you knew her well enough. To anyone else, Clarissa would seem flushed and breathless due to what had just happened to her but, Isabelle knew better.

Isabelle looks at the boy that had seemed to capture the affections of her sister.

She must admit, this Jace was quite something to look at but he was not her type. From first glance Isabelle could see that this boy was confident and sure of himself in a way that might make him a little cocky, she wasn't sure yet as she had yet to spend the time with him.

"It is an honour to meet you, your highnesses." Prince Jace bows his head as he says this. King Robert looked impressed with the boy already, no doubt taking in his looks and the respect he has shown to himself and his wife thus far.

The King nods his head in greeting before Prince Jace moves onto the children by his side. He comes face to face with Alexander, who is eyeing up the Prince with his usual and natural glare.

"Prince Alexander, I have heard much about you in the battlefield. I'm sure we'll be strong partners and allies when we both ascend the throne." Jace grins at Alexander, who for some reason can't hold back a matching grin.

To anyone looking closely, it was clear that Prince Jace and Prince Alexander would become fast and close friends.

"I have heard much about you too, Prince Jace... and please, if we are to become partners then I think I would ask you to refer to me as Alec." The prince leans towards Jace slightly. "Alexander is only used by my parents and boring council members, no matter how many times I tell them to stop. I think they're just too far up their own asses to use such a commoner's name." He whispers and Prince Jace bursts into laughter before holding out a hand.

"I was right about you Alec." Is all he says before Alec grasps his forearm as Jace grabs his.

Alexander smiled before remembering that this was business and that Jace had to formally introduce himself to his siblings. So with one last pat to the Prince's shoulder, Alec lets him move on.

Princess Isabelle and Prince Max both bow at the same time, as they were both eager to meet a prince that wasn't the dreaded Sebastian Morgenstern, who, Isabelle thought, didn't look anything like his brother.

"Princess Isabelle, you are as beautiful as they say back home." Jace copies his earlier actions and presses a kiss to Isabelle's hand. Isabelle just laughs slightly.

"They all wish." She states then pushes a strand of her hair out of her face so she could see the prince better. "What about you, Prince Jonathan? Will you be trying during this treaty period?" She asks even though she didn't feel any interest in the prince in that way, she merely saw him as someone who she could be close friends with.

"I think we both know that neither of us wants that, Lady Isabelle," Jace says then holds up his hands in a way of showing he meant to harm. "Not that I wouldn't be proud to have you on my arm and to rule by my side." Isabelle tilts her chin up at the idea of being second in command when it came to relationships. In all the other lovers and dates she had had, it was always her that took the lead, no matter what people may say about a woman leading a man in a relationship.

"You should be flattered that I even gave you the time of day." Isabelle's amused eyes give away the mean statement. She liked the prince and the more she spoke to him, the more she knew that she'd happily see someone of her family be wed to this man, and considering the reaction Clary had, she doesn't think it's going to be long before we find out who Prince Jace has chosen to be his bride.

"I am beyond flattered, I've never met such an independent princess, especially when it comes to me as they are all usually falling over themselves to get a chance to share my bed." Jace's smile turns cocky, but not in a way that causes Isabelle to like him less. In fact, all she could do was manage a nod and a small snort of laughter before gesturing to her little brother.

Jace laughs at her reaction before kneeling down to reach Max's height. "You must be Prince Max, I've heard about you back in my homeland. They speak of the young lightwood boy and how he is rumored to be their strongest Prince and Knight yet." Jace holds out a hand to shake Max's.

The little boy looked beyond himself when he realized that the Prince was greeting him in a way that made him feel grown up. Usually, most people would just tease him or compare him to his older brother then proceed to ruffle his hair. It normally made his nanny mad when people did that to him because she was the one who spent time making his hair look right.

"I'm already learning Junior fencing so that I will be ahead of the other kids in my class when it comes to sword fighting. My trainer says that I'm better than Alec when he was this age." Max looks incredibly proud of himself when he tells this to Jace. Alec and Isabelle laugh silently at Max's words, both of them knowing that even though he whispered it, Max meant for them to hear.

"Maybe you could show me what you got? I'm not too good at fencing myself, maybe you could teach me some of your moves?" Jace suggests this and anyone standing close enough could see Max's eyes light up at the idea, if you couldn't see the joy in his eyes then the smile on his face would be a pretty big giveaway.

"Really! no one ever wants to fight me!" Max was bouncing on the balls of his feet, looking as if he were about to just jump into action right now.

Jace laughs softly then looks up at Queen Maryse. "I would love too, Max... but only if it's okay with your mother." Max turns to face his mother, eyes large and pleading.

"Please, Mother?" He begs, he looks close to kneeling and kissing the ground at her feet.

Queen Maryse shares a fond look with Lady Celine, both of them glad that their children are getting along. "I'm sure it can be arranged." The Queen replies and young Max cheers and jumps in a way that shows his age and personality that is usually hidden by his public persona that he dawns to hold a sophisticated sense to him.

"Looks like he's won two of us over now." Princess Isabelle whispers to her older brother. Alec turns to look at her, as he wasn't sure what she was getting at.

He knew that he felt like there could be a good friendship between himself and Prince Jace, and from what he saw, he seemed to get along with Isabelle okay. It was clear that Max now worshiped the guy, but he had yet to meet Jonathan or Clary, so what did Isabelle mean about him winning two of them over?

Jace took that moment to move onto Prince Jonathan.

Jonathan smiles at the prince, as he remembered him from his time as a young boy. They had been paired together often enough when His father's land and Jace's father got together for feasts and treaty negotiations.

"Jonathan, It's good to see you again." Jace throws all properness out of the window so he is able to pull his old friend into a long overdue hug. "I thought you dead." He then whispers as Jonathan hugs him back with the same amount of enthusiasm.

Jonathan was always a sore spot for Jace, as he was the only one he could stand from the Morgenstern family. Sure his mother was always nice to him but he never saw her enough to get a good idea on her. He hated his brother Sebastian, he was very sleazy and too sure of himself. Jace had never got the chance to meet his sister Clarissa as she was too young to attend any event they held, and most of the time was not able to make the journey to his home, the trip being too dangerous for someone of her age.

So when Jonathan went missing and Lady Jocelyn turned up at their door, with a small gaggle of people and children behind her, all of them soaked through with the heavy rain that they had had that night, his parents were not going to turn them away. The whole night got worse when they had found out what Valentine Morgenstern had done to Jonathan and little Clarissa. He remembered sitting with Jocelyn on the bad nights, curled up by her side with three other children called Simon, Rebecca, and Maia, as Lady Jocelyn waited from any news from the search parties.

They never did come back with good news and after a year of searching, Sir Luke gave the news that Lady Jocelyn had called off the search. They held a funeral for the children soon after that.

No one knew if they were really dead, but Lady Jocelyn didn't want to risk it if they were and wanted to make sure that if they were dead, they got the proper send-off they deserved.

Jace remembered being the last one to place a rose over Clarissa's grave, his being the whitest of all of them because, at that point in time, the treaty declared that Jace would be the one to marry the princess when she came of age.

"I know," Jonathan answers with a firm thump to Jace's back. "We couldn't let anyone knew we were here, not for my sake, but for Clary's... I didn't want my father or Sebastian getting their claws into her." Jace understood why Jonathan would feel this way, he wouldn't want someone as young as Clarissa to be exposed to her Father and his poisonous views.

Valentine was more of a tyrant than a king, as he wasn't even supposed to take the throne. It was supposed to go to his brother but he mysteriously died and before anyone could say anything about it, Valentine forced his way into power. By the time they found the right person for the throne, everyone was too afraid of Valentine to do anything about it.

He then enforced the rule that anyone that wasn't in his immediate circle was no longer an upperclassman. All of the Lord's and Ladies that lived a grand life were stripped of what they had. In other places like The Land of the Herondale's and the Land of Lightwood, they were all still considered their title and whenever they visited, they were treated with the respect they deserved.

Valentine didn't like it though and took it upon himself to treat the lord's and Ladies of Lightwood and Herondale, like crap in order to make his point. Only three months ago, he was found holding a sword to the throat of Lord Magnus Bane simply for the fact that he was seen with his lover at the time. Valentine wasn't too fond of a man being with a man.

"That is very honorable of you and I would surely do the same if I were in your position." Jace looks back at his sister Lola, who was currently speaking to Max and Isabelle. "But, I am glad to see you safe now." Jace pulls back from Sebastian who grins wolfishly at him.

"We have a lot to catch up on." Jonathan agrees with a firm nod, then glances down to the left of Jace, just as the boy himself felt two small hands shove him slightly.

"Jace! I need to meet him now, you go over there." Lola seemed to be the only one keeping mind that they didn't have all day to do the introductions. "You take too long, I've already spoken to Princess Clarissa," Lola whines to her big brother.

Jace bats her hands away with a fond smile at his grumpy little sister, a shared look between himself and Jonathan shows that Jonathan knows exactly what Jace is going through with his little sister at this age.

"Okay, okay Lola." Jace backs up towards where he knows Clarissa is.

Lola smirks when Jace does her bidding before turning to face Jonathan, leaving Jace to turn and face the girl he was once destined to marry.

What he sees is something he wasn't expecting.

He didn't doubt that Clarissa would be pretty, but he wasn't expecting her to be the most beautiful girl he had ever come across in his life.

He opened his mouth to greet her like he was supposed to, but he finds that he is incapable of saying anything. It was like his mouth had gone dry enough that all the moisture in his tongue had gone, leaving him stuck.

"Hello, your highness." Princess Clarissa blushes under the intense stare she was getting from the prince, but she hides it in the low bow she gives him as it seems like he wasn't going to make the first move here.

Her voice and politeness seemed to snap Jace out of his trance. "I'm sorry for my rudeness, Princess Clarissa." He held out a hand to her, which she, in turn, placed her own hand in his. He places the most gentle kiss on the back of her hand, this one lasting just a couple of seconds longer than the one he gave to Queen Maryse and Princess Isabelle.

Never one to miss anything, Princess Clarissa seemed to notice his lingering. She also noticed the fact that his first look at her sister seemed to take her breath away from her. It made her smile to see that there was so obviously something between them and vowed to take it as her own responsibility to get them together.

The biggest obstacle she would need to get over is Jonathan, who, no doubt, will be very protective over his little sister. It might be a tad easier knowing that Jonathan and Jace used to be friends when they were children, but that might make the situation worse, for Jace to fall for his little sister.

Jace seemed to pay no attention to the fact that Clarissa was Jonathan's little sister, he only saw her for the beautiful and strong woman she seemed to be.

"No need for apologies my prince, you have had a long journey and are probably famished." Clarissa stands up straight and crosses her hands in front of her, one of her fingers twirling about in the fabric of her dress as she stares up into the eyes of the prince in front of her. Their unusualness keeps her transfixed on them, she had never seen eyes like them and they were beautiful.

"Yes- yes famished, that's it." Jace was glad that he didn't make himself look like a fool in front of her, but he did announce this a little loudly and it was enough for King Robert to hear him.

He puffs his chest out when he realized his guests had been standing out in the cool autumnal air for a little too long, especially after the long journey they had just had.

"Shall we make our way inside to enjoy the grand feast." The King words it as a question but it was really him making a statement, that this was the time to go in and have some refreshments.

There is a small murmur of agreement and the crowds from both the Herondale party and the Lightwood party begin to make their way inside.

Jonathan takes a step toward to Clarissa, ready to take his role in escorting her inside, but he then finds himself being yanked back.

He turns to see that Isabelle had pulled him back to her and had then proceeded to link arms with him. He looks at her confused before then looking back at Alec, who, like him, was confused with their sister's action.

"Walk with me, Jonathan." She states then begins to pull him forward with her arm until he gets the point and begins to lead her towards the castle.

He has enough time to glance behind him to try and find Clarissa, but the crowds around them are enough to hide her from his sight.

Clary, on the other hand, didn't care much about what her brother was doing right now, not when Jace had yet to take his attention off her.

"Shall we go inside with the others?" She asks and her voice once again breaks Jace out of a trance he seemed to be in.

Jace nods then bows slightly, offering his hand as he does so. "May I escort you? My Lady?" He asks, butterflies in his stomach as he worries about her shutting him down.

Clary blushes once again before placing her hand back in his. "Of course My Prince." She answers then watches as he stands up to his full height again, a smile on his face as they link arms before walking off towards the castle.

In a window just to the side, neither of them see Isabelle-who had ditched Jonathan in the crowd in order to sneak back and spy on her sister- grinning at them through the stained glass. 


	5. Chapter Four

 

 

**Chapter Four-**

Prince Alexander had been keeping an eye on his sister Isabelle almost throughout the whole meal. She had been acting weird ever since they had met Prince Jace and he had no idea why. He heard their conversation when they met and there was nothing suspicious about it.

Perhaps she was taken with the Prince's good looks, Alec must admit that even he was taken with the looks of the prince. It was clear to him though when he spoke to one of the Ladies of the Herondale party, that he was not going to be Jace's type.

For example, Jace liked girls and Alec was no girl.

By the sounds of it, the Lady that he had spoken too, Lady Rebecca, had first-hand knowledge of what Prince Jace liked. Alec hadn't wanted for her to elaborate on the details of what Jace liked, and he's pretty sure that Lord Simon, Lady Rebecca's younger brother, was glad that his sister spared those details.

Alec knew all too well what it was like to hear your sister go into detail about that part of their lives. Only Isabelle never spared any detail from Alec, no matter how many times he asked her too.

Alec was currently sitting next to Lady Rebecca now. She was busy informing Alec of everyone in their party and what their story is, he was only half paying attention to her as he continued to watch his sister. He now noticed that she kept sending glances toward the place that Prince Jace sat talking to Clary. There was a small smile on Isabelle's face as she watched him and it was leading Alec to believe that his sister really did feel for the prince.

Perhaps this whole wedding and treaty opportunity were going to be easier than Alec thought.

"... Did you hear about that? I heard that lands all around heard about that story." Alec turned around to face Rebecca again, intrigued by her question but also wondering what in the world she was on about.

"I'm sorry I seemed to have been in a daze." Alec apologizes to Rebecca, who just smiles at him. "What story were you referring to?" Alec then proceeds to ask her.

Rebecca places her spoon back down on the table in order for her to turn and face Alec, ducking her head low towards him. "The story as to why those such as myself and my brother are no longer allowed to attend meetings with Valentine Morgenstern." She whispers as if were something she wasn't supposed to speak about.

Alexander leans in closer to her so he is able to hear her better. "Why?" He asks before glancing around the room to see if anyone had noticed them, but it seemed that everyone was happily enjoying the food before it was taken away and the speeches began.

Rebecca's face turned sad. "It all happened when Valentine came across one of our Lord's, who has been known to enjoy the company of both man and women in his bed." Rebecca looks at me as if looking to see if I had a problem with that.

Alexander grins wolfishly at Rebecca. "I've been known to do the same. Only with just men." Rebecca's eyes widen in shock for a moment. "Do carry on with the story." Alexander is eager to move on from this part of the conversation. He is happy someone from the Herondale party know that he prefers to share a bed with a man. Perhaps the word may get around and stop any woman trying to flirt with him.

"Yes- sorry." She states before hurrying to finish the story. "Well, Valentine found Lord Bane enjoying the company of a lover late one night, he didn't take it well." Rebecca glances to the other side of the table, probably looking at the man who must be Lord Bane. "If it weren't for Prince Jace and his inability to sleep that night... he would be dead." Rebecca glances around to make sure no one had heard her before talking again. "Prince Jace found Valentine holding a sword to the throat of Lord Bane whilst the male lover ran away." Alexander allows his mouth to fall open in shock.

How could Valentine try to kill someone when he is a guest? He had no rights in the land of Herondale, he could've caused a war if he had managed to kill Lord Bane. The lover that Rebecca had spoken about, made Alexander feel unwell. How could someone be such a coward as to let a man die without even trying to help him?

Alexander wished he were there to give Valentine a piece of his mind, he wouldn't have let Lord Bane be hurt, not without a fight.

"That's outrageous." Alexander almost growls out, a strange sense of protection coming over him at the thought of someone getting hurt simply for liking men.

"Valentine no longer comes to our lands to meet. We always travel halfway to a small town in the middle of our two lands." Rebecca tells me. "Prince Jace has never forgiven him for what he did to Magnus." Rebecca's eyes are looking over to the other side of the tables again.

Alexander follows her gaze, hoping that he can manage to pinpoint who exactly is Lord Manus Bane.

"That's him there." Rebecca points out helpfully. "Three chairs left of your sister." Alexander follows her directions till his eyes land on a very...stunning man.

Magnus is sitting next to Max and he currently has Alec's younger brother in tears of laughter. Magnus's eyes shine bright and gold as he tells, what must be a very elaborate story, judging by the hand movements he is creating. Alec notices that Magnus has various jewels decorating his hands, wrists and, neck.

A part of Alec's brain remembers a necklace that Clarissa wore to dinner last week that would look perfect with Magnus's skin tone. it was a weird thing to think, considering that Prince Alexander hadn't ever met Lord Bane before. It would be a little inappropriate for Alexander to offer him jewelry.

"He is very beautiful, isn't he?" Rebecca asks knowingly. Little did the Prince know that Rebecca could almost read his thoughts from the look on his face when he caught sight of Lord Bane. She knew that the Prince of Lightwood was already taken with the man, even if he didn't know it yet.

Rebecca watches as Alexander turns back to look at her. "Why would someone want to harm him?" He asks and the look of sheer innocence on the Prince's face makes Rebecca smile. If only Magnus knew that the Prince was saying these things.

"I don't know, harm always seems to come his way," Rebecca answers before glancing over at Magnus to see that he still has the young Lightwood in peals of laughter, along with some of the people around them. "We are quite close, he always tells me the stories of those who have broken his heart. For someone so young, it seems to have happened to him quite often." Rebecca throws this bit of information out there, just to see the reaction of the prince.

Alexander bristles slightly at the thought of anyone hurting Magnus.

There was this need for Alec to protect the man sitting across from him and Alec couldn't understand why as he didn't know who he was. So far he had only heard stories of him.

"Life can be unfair to those who least deserve it," Alexander mumbles as he finally tears his eyes away from Lord Bane in order to look at Rebecca again. "I will try to make his stay here as comfortable as I can." He promises Rebecca who smiles brightly back at him, glad she was able to do something nice for Magnus. Not only is he ensured a great stay here, she may have also accidentally set him up with the future King Lightwood.

Not a bad days work if she says so herself.

King Robert suddenly stands from his chair at the head table and the whole room goes silent around him, the king brings a certain air of respect to those near him.

Robert throws his arms out to gesture, almost sloshing his wine out of his goblet. "Friends! Family! what a lovely evening this has been! A sure look at the bright future we have lying ahead of us." There was a small round of applause from the people sitting at the tables.

The King sends a look around at his children, a silent order for them to stand.

Alec gives a smile to Rebecca before standing up along with his sisters and brothers, he noticed that Clary didn't look too happy about it and that Isabelle was still looking in her and Jace's direction.

"I formally introduce my children to the court, hopefully, we may find a suitable match for each of them." Robert nods his head in Alec's direction. "No matter what gender that may be." He adds with a wink, making it clear to his son and future heir that his father had had a little too much to drink. Normally he wouldn't announce to a whole crowd that he didn't lay with women.

A sudden clap from King Stephen makes several people jump in fright.

"Excellent!" He cheers then stands from his seat. "And to think I were worried about that being an issue." King Stephen takes a swig of his drink.

"I told you he'd bring it up," Rebecca mumbles to Alec who is currently blushing from the sudden attention he was under.

Queen Maryse stands up in order to gently push her intoxicated husband back into his seat so she could take over the conversation. Her curiosity over the King's words gets the best of her and she couldn't help but ask.

"Issue?" She asks, looking between her Son and the King.

She notices a man, sitting next to her youngest son Max, stand from his seat to address her.

"Excuse me, your majesty, I believe My King was referring to the issues I've had in the past with King Morgenstern." The man says as I bow his head towards her. "He didn't quite agree with my... lifestyle." Maryse feels a slightly cold rage flow through her body at the man who had already caused so many problems in her life. She wondered what had happened to this man, but she didn't think it would be kind nor appropriate for her to ask.

"I'm sorry...?" The Queen leaves the question hanging in the air, waiting for the man to inform her of his name.

"Lord Magnus Bane, your Majesty." The man replies and a flash of realization go through her as the name triggers a memory in her mind. The story of the Lord that was almost killed by Valentine Morgenstern for being gay.

Maryse settles her back straight before meeting Magnus' eyes dead on. "Well. Don't you worry about any of that nonsense happening here, I will make sure you no longer have to worry about that whenever you are in our kingdom. I said the same to my son when he almost married a woman to make me happy." Maryse sends a glare to her son, who ducks his head and blushes, refusing to meet the eyes of either his mother or Magnus, who keeps sending glances his way.

"I thank you for that, your Majesty." Magnus bows again before taking his seat.

A guard suddenly arrives at the left side of Maryse. "Mam, it seems that the King has fallen asleep in his chair." He informs her. Maryse looks down to see that he was right and the King really had fallen asleep, she sighs before turning around to face the room again.

"It seems that my husband and I will be retiring for the night. Lady Lydia Branwell will show you all to your rooms." Maryse smacks a hand against her husband's chest to wake him up, which he does with a grunt and a jump that almost sends him flying out of his seat. The action makes Isabelle and Max giggle.

With that, the King and Queen are escorted out of the room and to their chambers.

After they had gone, most of the younger children and those slightly older or tired from the journey all went to bed.

Rebecca was one of those who stayed behind, along with the children of King and Queen Lightwood, Jace also stayed behind with some of the lords from his kingdom, including Magnus. Jace seemed to be good friends with Magnus and for some reason, it made Alexander jealous.

"Why don't you just go talk to him?" Rebecca nudges Alec's side when she catches him sending looks Magnus' way, she had a feeling that if she didn't push him slightly then he wouldn't do anything about this. Perhaps she should ask someone to help her with this as she didn't know the Prince all too well and didn't know how he acted when it came to things like this.

Rebecca considered asking Alec's sister but she seemed too busy. No one knew that Isabelle was trying to keep Jonathan busy so he wouldn't notice the flirting between Prince Jace and Princess Clarissa.

Shaking her head, Lady Rebecca turns to see that Alexander was now looking at her with wide eyes. "I can't just speak to him. I wouldn't know what to say." Alec looked close to panicking and Rebecca found it slightly adorable. The prince clearly felt something towards Magnus but he was clearly too awkward to try and do anything about it.

"Lucky for you, I do." Rebecca suddenly takes hold of the Prince's wrist and yanks him towards the group of people Magnus was talking too. "Hello, boys." Rebecca greets once she arrived beside them, she then lets go of the prince in order to smooth down the skirt of her dress.

A boy with glasses looks at Alec with a small smile playing on his lips. "Annoying the locals already Becca?" He asks and Rebecca replies by sticking her tongue out at the boy.

"Hush little brother, treat Alec with respect." Rebecca smiles at Alec then gestures to the group of people, some of which Alec hadn't met yet. "Alec, may I introduce you to my brother Simon, Lord Ragnor Fell, Lord Raphael Santiago and of course the one and only Lord Magnus Bane." Rebecca introduces everyone before turning her head slightly so the others could see and then proceeds to wink at Alec.

"I've heard all about you." Ragnor hums then look me up and down. "Wouldn't expect you to be good in a fight... guess I'll have to wait and see." Alec blinks in surprise as Ragnor turns his back and heads to the drink table.

"Ignore that old bag." Alec turns to see that it was Magnus that had spoken to him, leaving him a little shocked. "He get's cranky on long journey's- well, he get's even more cranky on long journeys." Magnus then bows his head at me. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Alexander." He greets.

If any of his siblings were there to see this, Alec knew they would be laughing at him as Magnus is the only person Alec hasn't wanted to tell not to say his full name. For some reason, he liked the way Magnus said it.

"It's uh- nice, uh yeah... nice to meet you too." I suddenly want Isabelle to come over and smack me upside the head for making such a big fool of myself.

Magnus just smiles at him, it's the kind of smile that makes it known that they understand and Alec isn't sure how to take that.

"You must thank your mother for me, not everyone would offer such kindness." Magnus then says, obviously understanding that Alec would want to change the subject after embarrassing himself in front of Magnus.

Alex shakes his head slightly and smiles. "Don't worry about it, I would've done the same thing. What Valentine did to you was horrible and if I saw the man myself I would-" Alec cuts himself off, finding that his anger levels were rising and that if he kept talking he would no doubt start ranting. It was not dignified for a Royal to rant around guests.

"Why- thank you, Alexander." Magnus touches my left wrist gently. "The kindness your family has already shown me is outstanding." Magnus looks up at Alec and it's the first time Alec had notice the black around his eyes, something he had never really seen before, but he now finds himself liking.

"Kindness is fated to those who deserve it, no matter what hurt they have seen and been through," Alec answers he then pat the hand resting on his wrist gently. "So you must really deserve it, so enjoy it."

Magnus' mouth is open as if he wanted to say something but nothing came out.

"That sounds like something from a book." Rebecca suddenly pipes up, startling both Magnus and Alec who were so lost in each other that they forgot anyone else was here.

"Oh- yeah, it kinda does," Alec mumbles before stepping back slightly and trying to stop the wild beating of his heart that probably isn't healthy.

"I'm surprised you didn't notice, Mags." Raphael comments. "You love to read." Alec perks up at that.

Alec was a big fan of reading and would usually spend his moments off from his Prince duties, curled up in the library reading about some far off romance in a place he didn't believe existed.

"Yes, I do Raphael... speaking of which, do you have a library here? I tend to enjoy spending my moments in there?" Magnus turns his attention back to me and Alec suddenly feels as if he could suddenly jump in joy, the same way Max and Clary were so fond of doing when they were excited about something.

"Yes!" I say very abruptly, taking Magnus and those around us off guard. "Sorry," I comment before composing myself. "We have a grand library that I too enjoy spending time in," I answer and a flash of something flickers in Magnus' eye.

"Why don't you show it to me?" Magnus asks Alec, a slow smirk growing on his face as he asks.

Alec feels like he wanted to speak but the ability seems to escape him. Usually, he wouldn't like going to the library with anyone else, it was always so quiet there because usually, he was one of the only ones to go there. Then again, he didn't think he could say no to Magnus, not when he wanted to spend more time with Alec. So the prince was willing to show his favorite place to this man.

"Of course, how about we make our way there after breakfast?" Alexander suggests and the smirk on Magnus' face grows into a full on beaming smile.

"It's a date, Your Majesty." Magnus bows then with a swish of his jacket he turns and heads towards the doors, knowing fine well a guard was there waiting to escort him to his room.

All Prince Alexander could do was watch as he left with a bundle of nerves and excitement building in his stomach as he thought about spending more time with the one Lord Magnus Bane.

 


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five:

  
Prince Alexander was a bundle of nerves the next morning and could hardly keep still as he was dressed. He had called for Princess Clarissa to come to his rooms as he knew he should inform someone of his morning plans, yet he couldn't bring himself to tell Isabelle. It was not the right time for the Princess to know, not until Alexander was sure of what was going on.

Clarissa however, was a different story. Alexander knew he could count on his little sister to keep his secret with Magnus, a secret. It also gave Alexander someone to talk too if he felt nervous.

Clarissa agreed to help almost instantly because she knew that this was something rare and had to be protected and cherished. The prince wasn't known for being open about his feelings or even being in a relationship. The only person Alec had been in any sort of intimate relationship with was Lady Lydia and everyone knew that that was a lie to hide the fact that he was gay.

So Clarissa knew that it was a big step for Alec to come to her and ask for help.

"If we take any longer then we shall be late," Clarissa speaks up from the corner of the room. "That would not make the finest first impression." Clarissa turned to look at her older brother, a slow smile appearing on her face as she takes in just how flustered her brother was becoming over this.

Alec just sends her a glare through the mirror Alec was currently standing in front of as one of the maids helps him into his dark blue jacket. "Do not joke about it, I want him to trust me, after everything he has been through I doubt he will trust me if I turn up late." The prince steps down off the podium he was standing on, Alec then turns to Clary and offers an arm. "Shall we? I know you are dying to attend breakfast with your mother." Clarissa's face turned into a nervous frown, not so unlike Alexander's.

"I hadn't actually thought about it too much," Clarissa informs her brother before she takes his arm around hers.

Alexander starts walking but the prince never took his eyes off Clarissa as he watched her nervously chew on her lip, something the Queen wouldn't be happy about if she saw.

"Why ever not?" Alexander asks as they walk through the corridors that are lined with extra guards now that there was more than one royal family in the palace. "I thought you would be ecstatic to see her again after all these years." The prince looked a little concerned now as it was clear that something was troubling Clarissa.

She ducks her head slightly to shield the look on her face from the passing guards as they hold open the doors for them to get to the grand staircase. "I am, I'm so happy to see her again but... part of me is yet to see her as my mother," Clarissa admits, taking Alexander off guard. "I only knew her for five years, and at that point in time my father had already tried to mold me to be like him, I never saw my mother much. Maryse raised me, and I saw her as my mother, even when I knew the truth." Alexander pulled them both to a stop on the second landing of the staircase.

The prince placed his hands on the shoulders of the young and scared princess. "Don't feel bad for thinking that way, never feel bad for that." Alexander knew that even though his sister didn't outright say she felt bad about it, he knew she did. "Mom was the one who raised you for the majority of your childhood. It's fair that you see her to be your mother even if she isn't the one who gave you life." Clarissa's eyes turned a little teary. "But you have to give Lady Jocelyn a chance, don't cast her aside before getting to know her, after all, she has been through with losing you and Jonathan at such a young age- she deserves the chance to know you." Clarissa nods her head, beginning to understand that she had to get over this fear.

"This is why you are to be king." Clarissa sniffs then laughs slightly. "You are too wise for your age and so caring." Alexander blushes under her praise, never used to it when he is given it.

"I'm just saying what anyone else would say." Alexander takes Clarissa's arm again. Clarissa just shakes her head fondly before starting to lead Alexander down the steps.

Surprisingly when they get to the bottom, they find that they are not the only ones there.

Coming from the west corridors is Prince Jace and Lord Magnus. They are both chatting and laughing about something that shows that they were as close as Rebecca had implied.

Prince Jace looked away from Lord Bane just as Alexander and Clarissa reached the bottom step.

"Good morning Princess, Alexander. I trust you slept well?" Jace asked before bowing in greeting. Clarissa flushes at the attention, for some reason the Princess felt giddy at the prince calling her by her title. It wasn't as if she didn't have people calling her that every day of her life, it just felt different coming from the Prince himself.

"Jace," Alexander bows his head towards the other prince, "Lord Bane. Why yes I slept very well, how was your night? comfortable enough?" Alexander asks, mostly to Lord Bane than Jace and Alexander are pretty sure that Clarissa was the only one who caught onto that. It would be terribly embarrassing if Magnus himself had caught onto Alexander.

"I slept like a baby, my room is quite extravagant, more than what a lonely Lord like I, deserve." Alec accidentally scoffed at Magnus' words. The prince is then met with two confused glances and one knowing one.

Alec opens his mouth to say something to explain the scoff but all the prince says is. "Sorry." Alec then takes a small moment to compose himself, to make sure he wouldn't make a fool of himself again. "I just don't agree with what you said," Magnus smirks slightly, straightening himself up and quirking an eyebrow.

"Oh? Do tell My Prince, what it is that you do believe?" Magnus asked, then before Alec had the chance to answer, he held up a finger. "In fact, why don't we discuss it over breakfast?" Alec gapes for a moment, allowing Clarissa to remove her arm from Alec's.

"I think that is a lovely idea!" Clarissa cheers then offer's her arm to Jace. "Why don't we leave them to it? You may escort me to my seat." Clary winks at Alec before turning her attention back to Jace. The prince grinned wolfishly before accepting the arm Princess Clarissa was offering to him.

With one last pointed look from Clary, Alec finds himself alone with Magnus. "Shall we?" Alec looks at Magnus, unsure if he was supposed to escort Magnus to his seat.

Magnus bows his head slightly, a small and soft smile crosses the Lord's face before he looks back into the eyes of the Prince. "We shall." The Prince notices Lord Bane hesitantly look down at both his own and Alexander's arm as if the Lord wasn't sure what to do next.

Alexander smiled as the hesitation as it showed that he himself was not the only one a little nervous. It seemed that Lord Bane was just better at hiding his fear.

The Prince holds up his arm in an offering. "May I take the honor of escorting you to breakfast?" The prince asks, his voice soft. He watches as the hesitation slips off the Lord's face.

"You may." Lord Bane answers then rest's his arm around the princes. "Thank you, my prince." He adds as the two men head towards the large doors that would lead them into the banquet hall.

The prince turns his head to look down at Lord Bane. "Alexander." The prince says, out of the blue, taking Lord Bane off guard.

"Excuse me? My lord?" Bane asks, turning his head to meet the hazel eyes of the future king.

Alexander smiles. "If I am to take you to breakfast, it's only polite for us to use our names rather than our titles." The prince barely looks as the doors to the banquet hall are opened by two guards. He knew the castle well enough to know where his table is set out.

Thankfully due to the nature of this visit, Alexander knew that there will be several private tables will be set out for the Royals to mingle in an attempt to fall in love.

Alexander knows the exact layout of the tables well enough to know where he will take the lord on his arm. The table set out on the balcony, the one that looks out onto the gardens. Away from the prying eyes of his friends and family.

Lord Bane, however, does look around the room as they enter.

His wide yellow/green eyes take in the room with awe. "My prince- I mean, Alexander... this place is so beautiful in the morning light." Prince Alexander smiles at the man on his arm, knowing that Magnus is yet to see the best part.

"My Lord, I believe if you find this to be beautiful, wait until you see the location of our meal." The prince sends a quick look towards Lady Lydia, who was standing watching him with a knowing smile on her face.

The prince flicks his eyes to one of the waiters then back to the closed balcony doors. A silent order for her to get their breakfast sent out there.

"It's Magnus, your majesty." Lord Magnus reminds the prince. "If we must refrain from the official use of our titles, then I only see if fair that you are aware of my name." Magnus grins brightly.

Alexander chuckles at his playfulness as he leads Magnus to the doors, knowing that Lady Lydia will take care of everything for them. "I must apologize, Magnus Bane." Alexander removes his arm from the other man's.

Magnus looks confused as Prince Alexander reaches for the handles of the doors, normally royalty never opened the doors on their own.

Little did Lord Bane know that the Prince was, in fact, trying to impress the Lord by acting like a gentleman. After the doors were opened Alexander turns back and held out a hand in offering to Magnus. "Shall we continue?" Alec asks.

Magnus blinks his eyes then allows a smile to grow on his face before placing his hand on top of the Prince's. Alec smiles back at the Lord before leading him out onto the balcony and towards and a small table set up with two chairs facing each other. Off the balcony shows a beautiful view of the gardens that had been perfectly taken care off in the impending arrival of the palace guests.

Magnus allows his hand to fall gently from the Prince's as he walks forward to get a better look at the view. "Alexander, this place is beautiful." Lord Bane gasps out. "It reminds me of the gardens I once lived near as a boy." Magnus rests his hands on the balcony and smiles at a fond memory.

The prince stayed silent, just watching as the early morning sun gleamed off the beautiful man standing in front of him, it hit him perfectly, making his skin and eyes glow like some sort of magical being. "Yes, It is truly beautiful," Alexander comments softly.

Magnus turns to look at the prince only to be shocked to see that the prince's gaze was not on the view, but on him. Magnus feels a strange butterfly sensation in his stomach that is more intense than he has ever felt before. He feels a giddy smile grow on his face before looking down at his feet to hide it.

Alexander smiles at the Lord's sudden bashfulness before stepping forward towards the table. "Shall we? I believe our breakfast is about to be served." Alexander walks to the chair closest to Lord Bane and motions to it with one sweep of his hand. Lord Bane looks back up at the prince before moving to take a seat, secretly grinning at the way the prince tucks in his chair for him as he does so.

"I'm hoping to be impressed with this breakfast, Alexander," Magnus comments as he watches the prince walk around to his own chair and sit down. "I wish not to be disappointed with the same sort of runny breakfast they serve at the Morgenstern palace." Magnus reaches for a napkin that had been laid out on the table and places it in his lap.

Alexander grins at him. "Trust me, my lord, I chose the menu myself, you won't have to worry at all," Alexander replies.

Lord bane levels his eyes with his companion. "Well, then I'm sure that I will be in for a treat." He replies softly just as someone walks through the door impressively holding two large trays in his hands.

Alexander sends a soft smile Magnus' way. "Don't worry, if you are here, I'll make sure you are only given the best." He promises, leaving Magnus stunned but not unhappy.

He rests his hand atop of Alexander's. "I'll hold you to that promise my Prince." Magnus almost whispers back.

Neither of them bothers to move their hands, even as their breakfast was served.


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Sitting under the early morning sun with Magnus, was the best breakfast that the young prince could have imagined

They spoke for hours after breakfast was cleared away. The prince didn't even seem to notice when their plates were taken away, the food barely even touched. Both the Lord and the Prince were so focused on each other that they hadn't really eaten. A fact that the servants were quick to inform the King and Queen about.

The King and Queen had decided to do a little snooping into their son's love life but at a distance. They wanted to know if he was happy with someone of his choice, so hearing what the servants had told them was the best news they could hear.

Alexander was oblivious to what his parents were up too, he was too happy in Magnus' company. The conversation between them just flowed more freely than any conversation Alec had had before.

Magnus was also enjoying Alec's company. Lord Bane was known by many small minded people as a man who enjoyed the company of a lover. It is not as many as they like to say, but it has been a fair amount and Magnus himself knows that. But the Lord can't help but think that this is the first time he has felt this way for someone so soon after meeting them.

It was only after three hours of talking that they were both interrupted by the small redheaded princess.

Clarissa knocked on the large doors before opening them, she knew she was interrupting her brother, but she needed to talk to him about his breakfast date and it had already been three hours.

Alexander finally tore his eyes away from Magnus when he heard the knocking on the door. "Clary? Are you alright?" The prince asks when he catches sight of Clarissa. "Where is Jonathan?" Alec lets his eyes move to the Lord then back to his sister.

Clarissa watched her brother look back at Magnus, it made her smile brightly. Clarissa knew now that her brother was already gone for the man sitting in front of him.

Just as Alexander turns back to his sister, Clarissa began to speak. "Jonathan is with my birth mother and her new family." Clarissa looks down at the floor for a second before moving her eyes to meet her brothers again. "I apparently have more siblings than I thought... but that is not what I came to talk to you about." Clarissa knows that both of the men in front of her could hear the hidden message in her voice. Clarissa just hopes that Lord Bane wouldn't catch onto the meaning.

Lord Bane stands. "I shall leave you both alone." He bows his head towards Clarissa before turning to Alexander. "Thank you for breakfast Alexander." Magnus smiles at the prince. Alexander stands up and gently takes the hand of Magnus.

"It was my pleasure, Lord Bane." Alexander leans down to press a gentle kiss to the back of Magnus' hand. "I hope to see you in the gardens for dinner?" Clarissa's eyes widen. The Princess had never seen her brother act so boldly with anyone bar their family.

Magnus' feels his cheeks heat up. "Of course my prince." Magnus nods his head once more. "Until then." Then Magnus walks through the doors. The guards close the doors behind the Lord, leaving Alec and Clary alone.

Alexander finds it hard to turn his attention to his sister. He knew that Clarissa was going to want him to tell her everything that happened this morning.

"Well, be glad it's me here and not Isabelle." Clarissa picks up her skirts in order to move over and sit in the seat that Lord Bane had just vacated.

One of Alec's eyebrows quirks up at the comment. "I strangely have yet to speak to her this morning." The prince reaches out to take a drink of water that had been set out for him during breakfast.

Clarissa watches as he brother take a drink, then pulls a face at the warm temperature of the liquid. "I would be surprised if you spoke to many people this morning." She smirks.

Alec frowns at his sisters teasing. "Don't start." Alec places the glass back on the table. "Or I will be forced to inform Jonathan about your quick infraction with Prince Jace." Clarissa's eyes snap to meet her brothers.

"I do not know what you mean." Alec watches as Clary fiddles with the fabric of her skirt, her eyes flitting to look over into the gardens below.

Alec follows her eyes, finding that below them their brother was strolling with A girl wrapped around his arm and a smaller boy by their side.

"Please don't tell him." Alexander looks back at Clarissa. "You know how protective he can be of me, and he is so happy right now... I don't need that being ruined for him because of a silly little attraction." Clarissa pleads.

Alec had no idea that it meant so much to his younger sister. He thought that they all had an agreement to support each other during this time. As they all were hoping to find someone before a war.

Alec reaches out to take hold of Clarissa's hand. "Of course I won't." Clarissa deflates a little before smiling at her brother. "Not until you are ready to tell him yourself." Clarissa goes to thank her brother but is cut off quickly.

"But." Alec holds up his other hand to stop her from talking. "You must promise to do the same. I do not wish to have any more people getting involved in my love life, not like last time." Alec was serious and Clarissa knew that.

She was fully aware of just how involved everyone got into his engagement to Lydia. It was because of their family that the engagement even happened.

Clarissa nods her head silently. "Of course." She whispers, whilst also squeezing his hand.

Alec squeezes it back before turning his head to look back down at their brother. "Who are they?" The prince asks. Alec noticed that the interactions Jonathan was having with the company he was with, was nothing but fondness.

Clarissa also moves her sight to look at Jonathan too. "They are my adoptive brother and sister." Alec and Clarissa meet eyes again. "Simon and Rebeca."

"Why are you not joining them in their stroll of the gardens?" Alec asks. Knowing it to be weird that Jonathan and Clary are not together on a fine day like this.

Clarissa looks back down at her skirts again. "Simon was my best friend as a child... he's one of the only people from my life back then that I remember." Alec notices she looked sad. "I have yet to speak to him properly, and I would prefer to do it in private."

Alec nods his head, completely understanding her reasoning. "Don't worry, I'm sure he will be delighted to reunite with you."

Clarissa smiled. "Thank you, Alec... I'm glad I can come and talk to you."

The prince blushed and bowed his head in response.

A knock on the large doors sounds before the door is opened.

The Prince and Princess look up to be greeted by the sight of their youngest brother.

"Max!" Clarissa stands up to greet her brother with a hug. "Where have you been all day?" Alec too stands up to walk the short distance to his brother's side.

Max, who was already looking excited before, looked even more excited when his sister questioned his whereabouts.

He clings to his sister's sleeve before breaking out into a fast conversation. "It was so amazing! Prince Jace took me out and told me so many stories about the adventures he's been through and all the amazing stories of his home!" Alec chuckles at his brother's excitement. It was clear that the young prince not only impressed the Clarissa but the young boy, also.

Alec just hopes that Max and Clarissa's admiration for the prince, wouldn't end in crushed spirits and broken hearts.


End file.
